ARCHIVED NEWS FOR JANUARY 2005

posted 01/17/05
Edwards Replaces Hanson on Proposals

As of today, January 28, 2005, on proposals and other sponsored research documents asking for the name of the University's Authorized Organizational Representative rather than Howard Hanson (who retires today) please list Mike Edwards. Here is his contact information:

Michael T. Edwards
Director, Office of Research
Email: researc2@nd.edu
Phone: 574-631-7432
Fax: 574-631-6630

posted 01/24/05
NIH Change in Font Size Requirement-PHS398 Instructions

NIH has changed the font size requirement for NIH Extramural Research and Research Training Programs. The NIH now requires the use of Arial-11 or Helvetica-11 point font.

posted 01/19/05
SBIR/STTR Proposal Preparation Workshop on Wed-Thu February 9-10

On February 9th and 10th, the Indiana S4 Initiative will present a SBIR/STTR Proposal Preparation Workshop. The workshop will be hosted "live" in Indianapolis at the University Place Conference Center and via videoconference in the following cities: West Lafayette, Terre Haute, Muncie, Ft. Wayne and Notre Dame. At Notre Dame it will be held in G20 Basement of Flanner Hall. Greg Luttrell is the local contact and can be reached at 631-2857.

This day and half intensive training session outlines strategies for preparing competitive Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer Research (STTR) proposals. Not only will the workshop detail an approach for writing winning SBIR/STTR proposals, participants will review steps for developing a strong commercialization plan.

The workshop is intended for Indiana-based small technology businesses and their faculty collaborators with an interest in innovative research funding and in improving their future participation in the SBIR/STTR process. Information presented will be relevant to both first-time proposal writers as well as experienced SBIR/STTR participants working on Phase II proposals.

Registration cost for the workshop is $100 per participant. On-line registration via credit card is available at https://www.universityplace.iupui.edu/registration.

posted 01/19/05
Demonstration on Working with EndNote on January 26, 2005

This demonstration will be held in the Notre Dame Room, LaFortune Center from 3:30-5:00 p.m. Prof. Michael Brownstein, Department of East Asian Languages and Literatures, will demonstrate how the various features of EndNote software can be used to create personal bibliographic databases based on user data entry or bibliographic data downloaded from electronic resources (Worldcat, JSTOR, on-line University library catalogs, etc.). Prof. Brownstein will also demonstrate how such personalized databases can be used to automatically format endnotes, footnotes, and bibliographies when writing books and articles for publication, to create reading lists for syllabi, and to keep track of materials in your files. EndNote is available for both the PC and Macintosh platforms.

At this presentation, the schedule of hands-on EndNote workshops for faculty and graduate students will be available.

posted 01/17/05
NIA Announces New Policy on Receipt Dates for P01 Grant Applications

The National Institute on Aging (NIA) announces that effective immediately, new competing (Type 1), competing continuation (Type 2), and amended Type 1 and Type 2 P01 grant applications will be restricted to two receipt dates per year: February 1 and June 1. Supplements to funded P01 applications will continue to be accepted three times a year: October 1, February 1 and June 1.

NIA P01 grant policies and procedures

posted 01/13/05
Department of Homeland Security Sponsors R&D Conference, in April

DHS Science and Technology is sponsoring an R&D conference in Boston on April 27-28, 2005. Working Together: R&D Partnerships in Homeland Security, encourages R&D partnering among scientists and engineers from government, national laboratories, universities and research institutes, and private sector firms investing in R&D, to address the collective science and technology research goals of the U.S. homeland security community.

This conference will bring together more than 600 attendees supporting homeland security research and development, for information exchange and subsequent collaboration. Abstracts for technical sessions may be submitted to the conference web site, through February 7, 2005. Additional information on the conference and session topics is provided in the flier attached. Please bookmark the web site for forthcoming information on registration and program updates.
Conference Flier at http://www.davincinetbook.com/hsarpa/files/DHS_RandD_Conference.pdf

posted 01/12/05
Assistant VP Appointed to Direct Office of Research

Michael T. Edwards, currently director of technology transfer in the University of Notre Dame’s Graduate School, has been named assistant vice president and director of the school’s Office of Research. The appointment is effective Jan. 28.

Edwards succeeds Howard Hanson, who is retiring after serving in the Office of Research for 15 years, the last five as assistant vice president and director. The Office of Research helps faculty members obtain and manage the funding they need to support their research and scholarship.

"The doubling of sponsored research at Notre Dame over the last few years requires us to provide new levels of administrative support and service to faculty and students at the University," said Jeffrey Kantor, vice president for graduate studies and research. "I’m looking forward to working with Mike to meet this challenge."

"I’m privileged to have this opportunity," Edwards said. "Howard Hanson, with the support of Jeff Kantor and the leadership of the Graduate School, has created a culture of outstanding support to the faculty. With the assistance of the superb staff in the Office of Research, I intend to maintain that culture and continually seek ways to improve it."

Edwards came to Notre Dame in 1986 as an assistant professor of military science. He returned in 1997 as a professor and chair of the Army ROTC program and was named director of technology transfer in 2000. Prior to coming to Notre Dame, Edwards served on active duty in the U.S. Army for 24 years, retiring with the rank of lieutenant colonel.

posted 01/10/05
OR Policies and Procedures Handbook Updates

Updates to the Tuition Chart for Graduate Students , the Health Insurance Benefits Chart, Sample Budget in updated pdf version and the Whom to Call with Your Questions section are all updated to reflect the most recent information.

posted 01/10/2005
NIH Updates Salary Limitations

Effective January 1, 2005 the National Institutes of Health (NIH) increased the Executive Level I salary cap to $180,100.

According to the NIH Notice Salary Limitation on Grants, Cooperative Agreements, and Contracts, here's how it will be implemented:

• No adjustments will be made to modular grant applications/awards or to previously established commitment levels for non-competing grant awards issued with FY 2005 funds.

• NIH competing grant awards with categorical budgets reflecting salary levels at or above the new cap(s) issued in FY 2005 will reflect adjustments to the current and all future years so that no funds are awarded or committed for salaries over the limitation.

• For awards issued in those years restricted to Executive Level I (see Salary Cap Summary, [FY 1990 – FY 2005]), if adequate funds are available in active awards, and if the salary cap increase is consistent with the institutional base salary, grantees may rebudget to accommodate the current Executive Level I salary level and contractors may charge at the higher level. However, no additional funds will be provided to the prior year grant awards and the total estimated cost of the contract will not be modified.

• An individual's base salary, per se, is NOT constrained by the legislative provision for a limitation of salary. The rate limitation simply limits the amount that may be awarded and charged to NIH grants and contracts. An institution may pay an individual's salary amount in excess of the salary cap with non-federal funds.

• The salary limitation does NOT apply to payments made to consultants under an NIH grant or contract although, as with all costs, those payments must meet the test of reasonableness and be consistent with institutional policy.

• The salary limitation provision DOES apply to subawards/subcontracts for substantive work under an NIH grant or contract.

posted 01/06/2005
Learn Proposal Preparation At NSF FastLane Workshop on Campus Jan 28

A workshop has been scheduled by the Office of Research and the Office of Information Technology to instruct faculty, staff, and graduate students in the use of the National Science Foundation's Fastlane online proposal preparation system. The workshop will focus on preparing proposals and will be held Friday, January 28, 2005 from 9-11 am.

These classes are taught on Windows machines but can be taken by PC or Mac users as FastLane is a web-based system.
       
An additional workshop is scheduled for Tuesday, April 5,2005 from 1:30-3:30 pm.

To register, please visit the iLearn website for the NSF FastLane Proposal Preparation Workshop. Participants will need to request a FastLane password from Terri Hall (1-7378) in the Office of Research three days prior to the class.